[Arsenal](https://goonernews.com/) superstar center back William Saliba is one of the best players in the world at any position, and with each passing month, the reputation of both himself and Gunners center back partner Gabriel Magalhaes grows.
The Frenchman has been a dream transfer target of Real Madrid’s for quite some time, and Los Merengues are only getting more and more interested in potentially bringing him in one day, even with an enticing group of big-name free agent center backs on the horizon in 2026.
Saliba just took himself off the board about a month ago, though, signing a new contract extension with Arsenal through 2029/30, but, interestingly enough, it’s not the contract that is keeping him committed to North London.
When asked about his future, specifically the Real Madrid transfer rumors, Saliba said to French outlet Telefoot, “Of course it’s really tempting when a club like that is interested in you… …but I wanted to win titles at Arsenal first before thinking about anything else.”
That sounds a lot like what other Premier League stars of the past, including Cristiano Ronaldo, have done. They have waited to make their big leap to Real Madrid until after winning the Premier League and/or Champions League.
Once Saliba does these things with Arsenal and checks off those very big boxes to entrench his legacy with the North London giants, then it seems like there’s a strong possibility he could try that new challenge with the world’s most prestigious club at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Joe Soriano is the editor of _The Trivela Effect_ and a FanSided Hall of Famer who has covered world football since 2010. He’s led top digital communities like _The Real Champs_ (Real Madrid) and has run sites covering Tottenham, Liverpool, Juventus, and Schalke. He also helped manage _NFL Spin Zone_ and _Daily DDT,_ covering the NFL and pro wrestling.